Sunday, December 23, 2007

Engineers at the Honda company have taught Asimo the humanoid robot how to serve tea to guests.

The tea needs to be prepared by a human and placed on a tray on a cart. Asimo will then push the cart to the table, lift up the tray and place it on the guest's table. The robot then takes a couple of steps back and bows, as is the tradition in Japan.

Friday, December 14, 2007

On Saturday, December 15, 2007 Toronto's is host to a Tea Party and Guinness World Records record-breaking attempt sponserd by Celestial Seasonings. Measuring 12 feet x 12 feet, the World's Largest Tea Bag is the highlight of this wintertime outdoor tea party. Guests can warm up with cups of hot complimentary CelestialSeasonings tea, see the future in tea leaf readings and "tea off" at mini golf to win some great prizes. Costumed characters will entertain the crowd while Celestial Seasonings' tea blendmaster reveals secrets of the tea trade through tales of worldwide travels in search of tea. The Tea Association will be on hand to discuss the role tea plays in maintaining good health, and donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation are encouraged. The Tea Party is located at Yonge-Dundas Square, Corner of Yonge Street and Dundas Street.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant and grows in tropical to sub-tropical climates. Many high quality tea plants grow at elevations up to 1500 meters (5,000 ft), as the plants grow more slowly and acquire a better flavor. Only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes, and a plant will grow a new flush every seven to ten days during the growing season. Tea plants will grow into a tree if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are pruned to waist height for ease of plucking. Two principal varieties are used, the small-leaved China plant and the large-leaved Assam plant.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Museum goers have just a few days left to view a rare exhibit of Tea Containers.On view through Sunday at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, The Wallace Museum is accessed through the Public Hospital of 1773, Francis and Nassau streets, just south of Merchants Square. Call 757-220-7724 or log on to www.history.org/history/museums for more information.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A new Purdue University study suggests adding citrus juices or vitamin C to green tea may raise its antioxidant goodness, a new study suggests. The antioxidants are called catechins, and they are believed to be responsible for some of green tea's reported health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Using a laboratory model that simulates digestion in the stomach and small intestine, green tea was tested with a number of additives, including juices and creamers. It was found that citrus juice increased absorbable catechin levels by more than five times, while vitamin C boosted recoverable levels of the two most abundant catechins by six and 13 times.

Friday, November 16, 2007

A South African company has started selling what is being called "the world's first tea espresso." The tea is produced by the Red Espresso Co., in Cape Town, South Africa. A special, patented grind of the tea leaves gives the tea "a rich espresso intensity."

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

A Michigan man got a nasty suprise in an unopened bottle of Gold Peak Sweetened Iced Tea. Shane Smith describes what he found as "slimy...with dark spots...a gooey gunk." The button seal on the bottle has never been disturbed and its expiration date is February 25, 2008. Smith called the 800 number on the bottle and talked to a Coca Cola spokesperson. The spokesperson said from what it sounds like the substance in the bottle is mold from heat exposure when the bottle was stored after shipping. He said the mold will not pose a health hazard but the product should not be consumed. They will offer Smith a replacement product.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have found that a component in green tea might help in the treatment of severe sepsis, which is an abnormal response of the immune system to a bacterial infection.

They discovered that there is an ingredient in green tea called EGCG, that can save mice from dying of sepsis. The laboratory results are so promising that they could lead to clinical trials in humans.

Sepsis a condition that kills 225,000 Americans each year, has puzzled researchers for years. No matter what techniques they used, half of those who contract sepsis die.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Judah Sanders and Dave Dahl, co-founders of the California-based Dragon Pearl Tea Company, are against the war in Iraq but they feel compelled to support the men and women who are serving there. The tea company has shipped almost $10,000 worth of green tea to the U.S. troops on duty in Iraq.

Two hundred and fifty cases of Dragon Pearl Tea were shipped this fall to troops in Iraq through an all-volunteer group called U.S. Troop Care Package

Saturday, November 03, 2007

The second annual Red Rose Tea Fair will be held on the weekend of Nov. 9-11 at the Hilton Garden Inn on Corporate Drive.

Companies exhibiting at the fair will include Redco Foods (the makers of Red Rose Tea), Wade Ceramics Ltd., C&S Collectibles, Wade New England, The Water Closet, the Tea House Times, Happy Wadeing, Curiosity Collectables and PaulaWalla Imports.

The weekend-long event will include a Welcome Dinner and Tea Cup Auction, Wade vendors from the U.S. and England, Swap-n-Sell tables for collectors, an Edwardian Tea Party, tea leaf readers, and Wade authors Ian Warner and Mike Posgay.

Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. A shuttle will be available to transport visitors to various off-site events from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Sunday.Admission to the fair is $5.

The Windsor Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee developed this event in conjunction with Windsor's Economic Development Director Jim Burke and Redco Foods.For more scheduling and event information, visit the Web sitewww.windsorcc.org.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Poci tea originates in the Central Javanese city of Tegal. Mixed with jasmine flowers and brewed in a special earthenware pot (the poci) that is only ever rinsed with clear water —thus imbuing it with its heady scent and making it more delicious each time — it has a unique aroma that has made it popular all over Java.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Following a £40 million refurbishment, the Ritz is back to the former elegance. High tea at the Ritz, Piccadilly is £32 per person and served daily by reservation only at three sittings, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm. Bookings can be made either through the Reservations office on 0207 300 2305 or book online at www.theritzlondon.com.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

At Christie's last week, a Philadelphia tea table in a remarkable state of preservation sold for $6.7 million, three times the expected price and a record for Philadelphia furniture sold at auction. Experts say the table is worth every penny.

It had passed from generation to generation in the same family since its crafting in the mid 18th century. Most recently the table sat quietly in the family's Main Line, Philadelphia home until a local appraiser clued them in that the table could be worth more than the house.

Tea tables became fashionable in England as the tea trade with Asia gained steam. Upper-crust Americans quickly fell in love with the style and began commissioning their own tea tables from the finest Colonial craftsman. Historians tell us that in the 1760s, many important meetings relating to the planning of the American Revolution took place around these early tea tables, adding to their cachet today.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Thousands of bottles of barley tea drinks washed ashore on Kouyuwuan Beach in Taiwan, drawing crowds of local residents to come "clean up" the beach by collecting the "suprise gifts".

The tea came from the freighter "Tan Ting No. 2, " which sank Friday in bad weather while transporting the tea drink cargo to Xiamen, China. The ship had been carrying 3,900 cases of the Mugicha tea drink.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Wuyi Mountain is renowned for the quality of tea leaves grown there. A sample of the leaves collected and baked in Wuyi Mountain entered the collection of the National Museum of China in Beijing this week.

The sample leaves were picked from a 350-year old tea tree, in May of 2005. The leaves were baked and processed exactly in accordance with ancient technique. They were among the last leaves harvested from the tree. It came under government protection in 2006. This marks the first time the National Museum of China has included contemporary tea leaves in its collection.

Monday, October 08, 2007

In January 2008, Sotheby’s will offer one of the greatest masterpieces of American Furniture, the Fox-Tilghman Family Chippendale Carved and Figured Mahogany Tilt-Top Piecrust Tea Table, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1755, as the centerpiece of its sale of Important Americana 2 during Americana Week 2008. The table is expected to fetch a estimated $2 to 6 million.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Severl recent studies indicate that drinking green tea can help you loose weight.But what does green tea have that other beverages dont? Some scientists say the magic lies in it's EGCG, a powerful anti-oxidant known to stop the growth of cancer cells, blood clots, and lowers cholesterol levels.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Neuroscientists have evidence that the amino acid theanine, which is found in green, black, and oolong teas, causes a decrease in the brain's "alpha rhythms" when people perform complex attention tasks, causing them to pay closer attention. This may help people with attention deficit disorder.

Monday, September 24, 2007

A growing number of scientists theorize that tea is far more complex than most people might think. As a result, they are exploring new ways to uncover the chemical secrets nature has tucked into the leaves of green and black teas.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

"Earl Grey is the most-often served tea at Buckingham Palace," notes Darren McGrady in Eating Royalty. "It is a black tea flavored with oil of Bergamot – a fragrant citrus fruit – and named after the second Earl Grey in 1830.

Monday, August 27, 2007

More than 50 of actress Jane Seymour neighbours arrived at her estate near Bath to dispute a 24 hour entertainment licence granted to St Catherine’s Court, a venue which Seymour rents out for functions. Locals complain the noise and increase in traffic is making their lives miserable.

Seymour has responded to the protestors camped outside her English country home in a unique way - by instructing her butler to serve them tea.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology monitored the intake of antioxidants called flavonoids, found in tea, in 500 women aged between 40 and 80.The study found 81 per cent of the women's flavonoid compound intake came from drinking black tea.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

For thousands of years, health-conscious Chinese drank kombucha, a fermented tea said to benefit drinkers with everything from better digestion to thicker hair. Now the brew, which tastes like carbonated vinegar, is going mainstream. It's on the shelves at local health food stores and at Whole Foods, where you can find it near refrigerated juices.

Believed to have originated in China around 250 B.C., kombucha is called mushroom tea because the culture used to brew each batch is mushroom-shaped. You won't see mushrooms in your bottled tea, though those feathery solids are drinkable remnants.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Well I guess I am getting old. When looking around the net for something to Blog about I came across Tea Leaf Green. As it turns out Tea Leaf Green has nothing to do with Tea. Apparently it is a San Francisco Rock Band. However from what I have found online they are quite good.

Monday, August 20, 2007

A man armed with a gun took money, cigarettes and iced tea from a Rutters Farm Store early yesterday. The man entered the store at at 1:20 a.m. Sunday, displayed a handgun and demanded money, according to state police.

Police said the man then fled the store with an unknown amount of money, a carton of cigarettes and a pint of iced tea. He was wearing black shorts, a green sweatshirt and a red baseball hat and fled in an unknown direction.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

In an interesting look at how events in one country can effect people in another. Indian tea exports have recorded a decline in the first six months of 2007. Exports fell by 11.74 million kg for the period. Industry sources attributed the fall to low buying from the main consuming country “Last year’s major buyer Iraq is inactive in the market.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

A Boston company has developed a brand new category in the beauty market. Tea that will make you look better. The "Look Good Beauty Tea" or Sipping Beauty as it is called is the first and only beauty tea line.

Sipping Beauty is the first line of specifically designed beauty tea. The line packs six blends that can be brewed hot or cold. Tea benefits include: keeping skin looking young and getting a full night of beauty sleep. Other selections in the line help with complexion, detoxification, weight management and even a tea formula that keeps breath smelling fresh.

The Sipping Beauty line was created and is distributed by Maswel Brands. To learn more about Sipping Beauty, please visit http://www.sippingbeauty.net .

Monday, August 13, 2007

In a strange bit of news a pack of young vandals wrecked a Women's Institute tea party as they flooded a village hall with water and trashed members' cars.

The perpetrators of this evil deed acquired entrance to the cream tea and tabletop sale by telling the lady on the door they wanted to use the toilet - but once inside the true purpose of their visit was made clear.

They blocked drains, squirted soap and left taps running. They also scratched cars and slashed tyres before being chased away by the caretaker in Illogan, Cornwall.

One woman was in tears after finding "b@#*h" scratched on her bonnet. President Ruth Palin said: "It was upsetting."

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Animal and epidemiological studies suggest that green tea catechins may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases [e.g., coronary heart disease (CHD)]. The health benefit of green tea has been attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, considerable evidence suggests that green tea and its catechins may reduce the risk of CHD by lowering the plasma levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. The available information strongly suggests that green tea or its catechins may be used as safe and effective lipid-lowering therapeutic agents.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Green tea may help treat inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis, dandruff and lupus-induced lesions, concludes a Medical College of Georgia study to be published in the Aug. 18 issue of the journal Experimental Dermatology.

The researchers found that a bath of green tea extract mixed with water slowed the development and severity of psoriasis symptoms in mice genetically predisposed to develop the condition.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that on July 27 the Food Sanitation Bureau under the Taiwanese Department of Health has discovered pesticide residues in a batch of green tea imported from Vietnam.

Taiwanese authorities have decided to return 21 tonnes of o long (black dragon) tea imported on July 10, which contained the higher-than-allowed level of pesticide.

Cheng Hui-wen, Director General of FSB as saying that the batch of green tea discovered on July 27 contained the residues of dicofol with the concentration of 0.15 ppm.

Prior to that, a batch of 21 tonnes of o long tea was discovered to contain dicofol 0.09 ppm. On June 28, FSB decided to take compulsory examination on tea imports from Vietnam.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

At least three rhinoceroses and 30 elephants have been causing havoc in the Jadavpur tea garden in Jalpaiguri district of India. The animals have put a complete stop to work in the garden as panicked workers refused to report for duty. More than 200 tea bushes have been destroyed by the frenzied herd of elephants in the garden, which is located close to the Gorumara National Park.

Caution: In rare cases black cohosh has been reported to affect the liver. Discontinue use and consult a healthcare practitioner if you have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble, such as abdominal pain, dark urine, or jaundice.

Caution: Must take with a meal. In rare cases extracts from green tea have been reported to adversely affect the liver. Discontinue use and consult a healthcare practitioner if you have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble, such as abdominal pain, dark urine, or jaundice.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Belgian customs officials intercepted a shipment of 20 000kg of fake Lipton tea from China last year. A factory in Pakistan has 20 people making at least a ton of counterfeit tea a day. The tea often contains sawdust or dyed wood chips. Colgate-Palmolive this week warned US consumers that fake Colgate toothpaste had been found that might contain a toxic chemical.

Last year EU customs officers seized 253 million fakes, up from 85 million in 2002. Seizures of toiletries rose to 1.6 million items from 112 132 items. Officers caught 1.2 million food and beverage products, up from 841 000.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Dr. Rong Jun Zhao at New Nam Foo Ling recommends cicada tea to his patients with colds and laryngitis. The essential mixture is made this way: water is brought to a simmer or boil. Then the cicada shells are dropped in and cooked for, in some recipes, hours.

A cicada is an insect with big eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. Many people around the world regularly complement their standard diet with cicadas: the female is prized for eating as it is meatier. Cicadas have been eaten (or are still eaten) in Ancient Greece, China, Malaysia, Burma, Australia, North and South America and the Congo. Cicadas are employed in the traditional medicines of China and Japan for hearing-related matters.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Dunkin' Donuts Taiwan menu includes such foreign flavours as green tea and honeydew melon donuts, while Mister Donut also offers green tea and flavours like strawberry and sesame. Mister Donut hopes that flavours like green tea will create a more healthy image.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Researchers have designed a kettle, which, according to them, can produce a cup of hot water in only three seconds, reports the Daily Mail. The Tefal kettle uses a new spiral heating element that almost instantly makes piping hot water. While the water the machine produces is very hot, it is not quite at boiling point. As a result, tea lovers may find it doesn’t draw as much flavour from a tea bag. However if you need your tea fix fast this may be the device that you have been looking for.

The kettle also includes a water filter, which is intended to clean up the tap water it uses, reducing chlorine.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Da Hang Pao ("Big Red Robe Tea") is a legendary and much revered oolong tea which is grown in the Fujian province of China. Appreciated by sophisticated tea drinkers around the globe" this tea sells for over $300 for a half pound. What makes this tea so exceptional is the way it grows. It grows on rocks in the Wu Yi Mountains where water trickling down the crevices nourishes the tea plants throughout the year.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The world's largest trade show dedicated to tea and tea-related products. 300 exhibitors and 5,000+ buyers gather in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center, June 9-11, for three days packed with new trends and educational workshops.

They will have a New Products Showcase, over 50 Workshops and Seminars, cooking with Tea Demonstrations and lots more.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

They say the second emperor of China, Shen Nung, discovered tea. We do not know if this is correct but in about 350 A.D. a Chinese dictionary cites tea for the first time as Erh Ya.

Europeans first learn about tea in 1589 when a Venetian author credits the lengthy lives of Asians to their tea drinking. In about 1610 the Dutch start to bring back green tea from Japan. The Dutch East India Company market the tea as an exotic medicinal drink, but it’s so expensive only the aristocracy can afford it.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Health Canada's Natural Health Products Directorate has deemed tea to be a natural health product and has officially recognized tea for its role in maintaining good health. After a period of extensive review, the NHPD has approved three healthclaims for tea. All types of tea infusions (black, green and oolong) arerecognized as a source of antioxidants for the maintenance of good health. Teais approved for increasing alertness. And tea is further accredited as helpingto maintain and/or support cardiovascular health.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Scientists have developed a mechanized ‘nose’ that can detect complex odours and potentially help lead to better quality teas. The instrument uses sensors to detect and discriminate complex odours. An odour stimulus generates a characteristic fingerprint or pattern, and based on these patterns the teas can be classified, identified and graded as odour lends flavour to tea.

Tea tasters who manually taste teas could lose their jobs to this ‘nose’ that can also act as a tongue. The computing system of the instrument is capable of sensing compounds of tea and predicting the scores that are otherwise manually calculated by tea tasters.

Professional tea tasters of major brokerage firms taste the teas manually before fixing their grades. All this can now be avoided if the teas come with score cards done by a machine. Tea tasters here say it is too early to say if the new nose is any better.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Scientists have established that the traditional way of making a cup of tea releases more cancer fighting chemicals than simply dunking a tea bag in a cup of boiling water.

Scientists at the Rowett Institute in Aberdeen Scotland found that the concentration of antioxidants reaches its peak after about five minutes. Scientists found that blood antioxidant levels were 60% higher among people who drank tea that had been brewed for five minutes than those who drank tea that had steeped for only one minute.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The 280ft vessel Cutty Sark was ravaged by fire in the early hours of Monday and police believe the fire, which caused £25 million damage, may have been started deliberately. Donations have poured in since the blaze left the 138-year-old vessel in charred ruins. But despite firefighters doing all they could to save her, the tea clipper will need millions of pounds spent on her if she is to rise from the ashes.

Forensic examination of the remains of the Cutty Sark has failed to establish how the fire started. Scotland Yard said tests on the remains had proved "inconclusive".

Named after a fleet-footed witch in the Scottish legend of Tam O'Shanter, it has become one of London's biggest attractions. The 280ft vessel, built in 1869, was once the world's fastest tea clipper sailing from Australia to England in a record 72 days in 1885. The Cutty Sark left London on her maiden voyage on February 16 1870, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope to Shanghai in three-and-a-half months. She made eight journeys to China as part of the tea trade until steam ships replaced sail on the high seas.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Bidding opens on eBay Monday for an online auction of 50 "priceless moments" with renowned South African and international figures to raise money for seven African children's charities.

Up for grabs is afternoon tea with anti-apartheid icons Mandela and Albertina Sisulu. Also up for grabs is a visit to one of Richard Branson's charity projects with Branson plus two nights at the entrepreneur's private safari lodge.

Bidding for tea with Mandela which is expected to be the hottest item opens at 1400 GMT on Monday and other items will be posted at five minute intervals.

Bidding on the world's biggest online auction site eBay lasts until May 24.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

The Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership has announced that Lipton PureLeaf, the leading U.S. brand made with fresh-brewed tea, has just arrived on store shelves with all- natural ingredients, new packaging and updated graphics. Formerly known as Lipton Original, Lipton PureLeaf now offers pure, delicious tea with no artificial flavors or colors.

"Consumers have told us how important it is that their tea is pure, straight from the leaf, as nature intended," said Stacy Reichert, vice president and general manager, Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership. "As leaders in the ready-to-drink tea category, our master tea blenders have the expertise to produce the kinds of healthy, great tasting teas consumers are seeking."

Sunday, May 06, 2007

People who drink tea may have a lower risk of two common forms of skin cancer, new research suggests. In a study of nearly 2,200 adults, researchers found that tea drinkers had a lower risk of developing squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer.

Men and women who are regular tea drinkers, one or more cups a day, were 20 to 30 percent less likely to develop cancers than those who didn't drink tea.

The effect was even stronger among people who have been tea fans for decades, as well as those who regularly had at least two cups a day, according to the findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The theory is that tea antioxidants may limit the damage UV radiation inflicts on the skin. In particular, a tea antioxidant known as EGCG has been shown to reduce burning on UV-exposed skin.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

The Tea market has grown from a $1.8 billion industry in 1990 to $6.5 billion last year, according to the Tea Association of the USA.

Black tea has given way to or at least been been joined by red, white, green and what seams like a million herbal blends. And they come in the traditional bags, large conical sacks, perforated foil tubes, loose leaves and more. In addition to hot tea, cold bottled tea drinks are growing in popularity and account for the majority of tea consumed in the United States.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

New research conducted at the University of Michigan Health System and presented Sunday at the Experimental Biology 2007 meeting in Washington, DC suggests an ingredient in green tea may benefit people with rheumatoid arthritis. The study found Green tea contains a potent anti-inflammatory compound, called "epigallocatechin-3-gallate" or EGCG, that curbs production of several molecules known to contribute to inflammation and joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis.